VOTING AGREEMENT
Exhibit
4
Execution
Version
This
Voting Agreement (this
“Agreement”) dated as of November 12, 2007, is made by and between
NewStar Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the
undersigned stockholder of the Company (the “Stockholder”).
RECITALS
A.
Concurrently with the execution
of this Agreement, the Company and certain investors are entering into a
Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) dated as of the
date hereof providing for the issuance of shares of the Company’s common stock,
$0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”) to the investors (the
“Investors”) named therein (the “Offering”).
B.
That the Offering is subject, in
certain respects, to the approval of the holders of the Common Stock outstanding
prior to the consummation of the Offering under applicable Nasdaq Marketplace
Rules.
C.
The Stockholder is the record
holder and beneficial owner of shares of Common Stock of the Company as set
forth on the signature page hereto (the “Shares”).
D.
That the Company and the
Stockholder agree, and the Stockholder is willing to agree to vote all of the
Shares, and any other shares of Common Stock of the Company of which the
Stockholder acquires beneficial ownership hereafter and prior to the termination
of this Agreement as provided for in Section 4 below (together with the
Shares, the “Subject Shares”), so as to facilitate consummation of the
Offering; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing no shares
of Common Stock issued to the Stockholder pursuant to the Offering shall be
voted pursuant to this Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, intending to be
legally bound, the parties agree as follows:
1.
Agreement
to Retain
Shares. The Stockholder agrees not to transfer (except as may be
specifically required by court order), sell, exchange, pledge or otherwise
dispose of or encumber any of the Subject Shares, or to make any offer or
agreement relating thereto, at any time before the termination of this Agreement
as provided for in Section 4 below; unless the party to whom the Subject
Shares are (or are to be) sold, exchanged, pledged or otherwise disposed of
or
encumbered shall have executed an acknowledgement and ratification of this
Agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company and
agreed to be bound by the terms hereof and the Company is provided with prior
notice of any such transaction.
2.
Agreement
to Vote Subject
Shares. At every meeting of the stockholders of the Company with respect to
any of the following, and at every adjournment thereof, the Stockholder shall
vote the Subject Shares (i) in favor of approval of the Offering and any
matter that could reasonably be expected to facilitate the Offering and
(ii) against approval of any proposal made in opposition to or competition
with the consummation of the Offering or which would prevent
or
delay the consummation of the
Offering (each of the foregoing is hereinafter referred to as an “Opposing
Proposal”). The Stockholder agrees not to take any actions contrary to the
Stockholder’s obligations under this Agreement.
3.
Representations,
Warranties
and Covenants of the Stockholder. The Stockholder hereby represents,
warrants and covenants to the Company as follows:
3.1
Ownership
of Shares. The
Stockholder (i) is the beneficial owner of the Shares, free and clear of
any liens, claims, options, charges or other encumbrances and (ii) has full
power and authority to make, enter into and carry out the terms of this
Agreement.
3.2
No
Proxy Solicitations.
The Stockholder will not (i) solicit proxies or become a “participant” in a
“solicitation” (as such terms are defined in Regulation 14A under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) with
respect to an Opposing Proposal or otherwise encourage or assist any party
in
taking or planning any action that would compete with, restrain or otherwise
serve to interfere with or inhibit the timely consummation of the Offering
in
accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement, (ii) initiate a
stockholders’ vote or action by consent of stockholders of the Company with
respect to an Opposing Proposal or (iii) become a member of a “group” (as
such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) with respect to any
voting securities of the Company that takes any action in support of an Opposing
Proposal.
4.
Termination.
This
Agreement shall terminate and shall have no further force or effect as of the
earliest of (i) the consummation of the Offering and (ii) the
termination of the Purchase Agreement as to the Stockholder’s obligations
thereunder, if applicable, in accordance with its terms.
5.
Miscellaneous.
5.1
Severability.
If any
term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court
of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, then the remainder
of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or
invalidated.
5.2
Binding
Effect and
Assignment. This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors and permitted assigns, but, except as otherwise specifically provided
herein, neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations
of the parties hereto may be assigned by either party without prior written
consent of the other.
5.3
Amendments
and
Modification. This Agreement may not be modified, amended, altered or
supplemented except upon the execution and delivery of a written agreement
executed by the parties hereto.
5.4
Specific
Performance;
Injunctive Relief. The parties hereto acknowledge that the Company will be
irreparably harmed and that there will be no adequate remedy at law for a
violation of any of the covenants or agreements of the Stockholder set forth
herein. Therefore, it is agreed that, in addition to any other remedies that
may
be available to the
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Company
upon any such violation, the
Company shall have the right to enforce such covenants and agreements by
specific performance, injunctive relief or by any other means available to
the
Company at law or in equity.
5.5
Notices.
All notices,
requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing
and sufficient if delivered in person, by cable, telegram or facsimile, or
sent
by mail (registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt
requested) or overnight courier (prepaid) to the respective parties as follows:
(a) | If to the Company, to: | |||
NewStar Financial, Inc. | ||||
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000 | ||||
Xxxxxx, XX 00000 | ||||
Attention: | Chief Financial Officer | |||
Facsimile: | (000) 000-0000 | |||
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: | ||||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Dodge LLP | ||||
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx | ||||
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000 | ||||
Attention: | Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Esq. | |||
Facsimile: | (000) 000-0000 | |||
(b) | if to the Stockholder: | |||
To the address for notice set forth on the | ||||
signature page hereof; |
or
to such other address as any
party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except
that notices of change of address shall only be effective upon receipt.
5.6
Governing
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with,
the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to any conflicts
of
laws and principles thereof.
5.7
Entire
Agreement. This
Agreement contains the entire understanding of the parties in respect of the
subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior negotiations and understandings
between the parties with respect to such subject matter.
5.8
Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an
original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
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5.9
Effect
of Headings. The
section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the
construction of interpretation of this Agreement.
[Remainder
of this page
intentionally left blank]
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IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have
caused this Voting Agreement to be duly executed on the date and year first
above written.
NEWSTAR FINANCIAL, INC. | ||
By: |
/s/
Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxx
|
|
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Title: | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
STOCKHOLDER: | ||
X.X.
XXXXXX CORSAIR II CAPITAL PARTNERS, L.P. |
||
By: | Corsair II, L.P., as General Partner | |
By: | Corsair II, L.L.C., as General Partner | |
/s/ Xxx X. Xxxxx | ||
Name: | Xxx X. Xxxxx | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |
Stockholder’s Address for Notice: | ||
000
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
|
||
Xxx
Xxxx, XX
00000
|
||
Ph.
(212)
224-9425
|
SHARES: |
5,504,798
|
[Signature
Page to Voting
Agreement]